, known first by the name of mademoiselle de Launai, was thedaughter
, known first by the name of mademoiselle de Launai, was thedaughter of a painter of
Paris, who being obliged to quit the kingdom, left her exposed to poverty while yet a child. Chance occasioned
her receiving a distinguished education in the priory of St.
Louis, at Rouen; but on the death of the superior of that
monastery, who was her friend, she was again reduced to
extreme indigence, and finding no other resource, engaged
herself as a waiting-woman to the duchess of Maine. Unfit,
however, for the duties of such an office, she lived in obscurity and sorrow, till a singular event, in which she
seemed totally unconcerned, made her known much to her
honour. A beautiful young lady of Paris., named Tetard,
was persuaded by her mother to counterfeit being possessed. All Pans flocked to see this pretended wonder,
not excepting the court; and this becoming the universal
topic of conversation, mademoiselle de Launai wrote a very
witty letter on the- occasion to M, de Fontenelle, which was
universally admired. The duchess having discovered the
writer in the person of her waiting-woman, employed he:from that time in all the entertainments given at Sceaux,
and made her her confidant. M. de Launai wrote verses
for some of the pieces acted at Sceaux, drew up the plans
of others, and was consulted in all. She soon also acquired
the esteem of mess, de Fontenelie, de Tourreii, de Valincourt, de Chaulieu, de Malezieu, and other persons of
merit, who frequented the court. This lady was involved
in the duchess of Maine’s disgrace, during the regency of
the duke of Orleans, and confined in the Bastile near two
years; but being set at liberty, the duchess married her to
M. de Staal, lieutenant of the Swiss guards, afterwards
captain and marechal de camp. It is said she had refused to
marry the celebrated M. Dacier. She died in 1750, and
some “Memoirs of her Life,
” written by herself, were
soon after published in 3 vols. 12mo. They contain nothing
very important, but are very amusing, and very well written, their style being pure and elegant. A fourth volume
has since appeared, consisting of two pleasing plays, one
entitled L'Engouement, the other La Mode, which were
acted at Sceaux.